Torrance woman builds strong alumni group to help Morningside High School

Sherrie Stelik is a ‘72 grad of Morningside High School and has raised more than $122,000 for the high school. She puts out a newsletter each month, which has helped her connect with many other alumni. Tuesday, December 24, 2013, in Torrance CA.
Steve McCrank — Staff photographer

A small group of Morningside High School alumni gathered in 2007 for a reunion at Sherrie Stelik’s house in Torrance.

As the night was drawing to a close, Stelik whipped out a pen and notepad to write down everyone’s contact information should they decide to reunite.

Her best friend, Chris Stivers, who graduated in 1971, suggested he build a website, but they never expected it to become a hub for alumni.

Now, the website boasts more than 1,500 members from the classes of 1954 through 1974, and their original half-page newsletter, the MHS Mane Line, is limited to six pages, for fear of it growing too large to handle.

“People submit stories and memories,” Stelik said. “It’s been going on since 2007 and we’ve never run out of things to say.”

As membership grew, alumni decided they should give back to the school they loved so much. So Stelik formed Friends of MHS for alumni who were interested in donating money or supplies.

“We don’t do real fundraising,” Stelik said. “You’ll never see any of us asking for money, either in person or in the newsletter. We don’t do it for recognition; we do it for the kids.”

The Inglewood school has received more than $122,000 in donations, from cash to athletic supplies. Since Stelik volunteers at the campus, she makes sure to include information about current needs in her newsletters. From there, alumni contact her to volunteer or donate.

“The first thing we did was help the drama department since many of us were involved in it,” Stelik said. “Little by little, it started to expand and now we help service clubs and buy uniforms. We’re just a group of friends who want to give back and we’ve helped all kinds of groups now.”

For many of the Morningside alumni who sign up for MHS Mane Line, the school evokes fond memories of high school life. Not all of the alumni who receive the newsletter participate in Friends of MHS, but those who do, often do it in a big way.

One painted a giant tree in the auditorium lobby and Friends of MHS sells brass leaves for $30 with proceeds going to the school. So far, the “Perpetual Tree Project” has sold more than $6,000 worth of leaves, many in honor of a teacher or a graduate who was killed during military service.

“I’m shocked and amazed at how giving people are,” Stelik said. “The kids we went to school with are the same people now. They’re giving back talents and time to the school just like they did before, but we’re all just adults now.”

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Stelik said the most important part of the work is to ensure that current Monarchs are aware of Morningside’s rich history.

“We’re not only bringing things to beautify the school, but we’re bringing history back to the school,” Stelik said. “Kids today don’t know who went to this school before them, but when they see things donated, they start to ask questions and they learn about the history of the school.”

Stelik hopes that students will gain a sense of pride when they realize that well-known people, such as Ralph Johnson from Earth, Wind & Fire, City Councilman Curren Price Jr., WNBA legend Lisa Leslie and Byron Scott, former L.A. Laker and head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers, are Morningside alumni.

Despite all the work that the alumni has completed, Stelik said she shies away from recognition.

“We’re just a group of unassuming people,” Stelik said. “None of us wants pats on the back, we get a greater pleasure from helping the kids.”